Overlay Code Signed into Law

Greater Hidden Hills Hails New Zoning Code

The Greater Hidden Hills Overlay District was signed into law Dec. 6, 2011. DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Burrell Ellis and Board of Commissioners Presiding Officer Larry Johnson signed the document in front of two dozen elated residents.

“We now have a zoning code that will lead to a better business environment, beautiful streetscapes, and protected greenspace,” says Jan Costello, coordinator of the Greater Hidden Hills Overlay District committee. “The people who worked on this project have vision and hope. We are working together to create the future we want.”

The Greater Hidden Hills Overlay District is about four square miles. It is bordered by Covington Highway, S. Hairston Road, Redan Road, and Panola Road. More than one dozen neighborhoods participated in a five-year process to improve economic development. Overlay districts are a proven community redevelopment tool that have been used successfully all over the United States. The Great Hidden Hills district is DeKalb County’s 11th community to create a mixed-use overlay.

The DeKalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability and the Atlanta Regional Commission provided essential services for this project.